by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY

by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY

ARLINGTON, Tex. -- Los Angeles Angels ace Jered Weaver sustained a strained left elbow Sunday night when he fell awkwardly to the ground, and his next start is questionable.

Weaver underwent several X-rays, which showed no broken bones, he said, but he doesn't know whether he can make his next start of if a DL stint is necessary. He will be re-examined in the next few days, he said, after the swelling subsides.

"It's pretty painful,'' said Weaver, who gingerly put on his clothes. "It feels like a really bad jam. I definitely hyper-extended it or something.''

Weaver, a three-time All-Star who won a career-high 20 games last season, dove to the ground in the fifth inning when Texas Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland lined a fastball just over his head. Weaver, a right-hander, immediately grabbed his elbow on his non-throwing arm and winced in pain. He immediately left the game.

"I tried to catch myself, and saw the ball coming back at me, too,'' Weaver said. "So I tried to push off to get out of the way. I was trying to do two things at once. I landed on my glove, and tried to push to get out of the way, and just kind of fell in an awkward position.

"You're falling down, and the next thing you know, there's a bullet coming back at you. It was tough. Luckily that ball didn't somewhere on the body or else there would have been a couple of other pain issues going on.''

The Angels, who entered the season worried about their pitching staff, realize they can ill afford to lose Weaver for any length of time. He was absolutely dominant in the first half of last season, going 10-1 with a 1.96 ERA. He was the first pitcher since Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax in 1963 and 1964 two win at least 10 games in the first half with a sub 2.00 in consecutive seasons.

Weaver, who won the fourth most games in Angels' history, struggled with his control all evening in the Angels' 7-3 loss. He yielded seven hits and five earned runs in five innings, giving up four walks and striking out two.